Setting focus to text entry box in Storyline

Hey Bob, welcome to Heroes!

Sounds like you're talking about a zoom region...

Think that'll work?

Thanks, Peter, but that's not quite what I'm looking for (though I do like the zoom region feature).  Perhaps a screenprint will illuminate.

Ordinarily, a cursor would be active on the screen, and the user enters the number of the submenu desired.  I want to mimic this action by use of a text entry box and a variable, but I can't make that operative without the user clicking in the text entry box first.  I would like the focus to be on the text entry box from the start of the timeline for the slide.  A similar query last year, but related to Quizmaker, was answered negatively: http://community.articulate.com/forums/p/5291/29013.aspx#29013

Bob,

Is that just a screen shot image in the background?

Hi Bob.

Assuming the above is a screenshot, and you intend to use a textbox right after "ENTER NUMBER OF SELECTION" you can place it there, and make sure the background matches. The first textbox in your slide (the one nearest to the bottom of the list in the timeline, if memory serves right) will be focused when the timeline of the slide starts. So you won't have much of a problem there.

However, I don't believe there is currently a way to get the horizontal blinking cursor, as in your screenshot. So you may have to settle for the default vertical blinking cursor.

Hope it helps,
Alex

Hi Alex,

Thanks for your suggustion but unfortunatly it doesn't solve the problem. (I expreince the same problem as bob described).

I got this to work the way I think you're looking for by placing the screenshot on a slide master layout instead of directly on the slide.

1. Create a layout on the slide master that includes the background image you want.

2. Insert the new layout on your desired slide.

3. Insert text entry box; format so it blends with background.

4. If you have any other objects on the slide, make sure the text entry box is at the bottom of the list in the timeline or it won't be the focus when timeline starts.

5. Preview - the text entry box should default to a cursor. 

Hope this helps! Merry Christmas!

Thank you very much Tessa it works!

Awesome! Glad to hear it, Tomer! I hope it works for Bob also.

I think I've been trying to accomplish a similar setting of focus in my Storyline project, unless I totally misunderstand this thread. The recommendations above sound as if placing a text box at the bottom of the timeline will cause the focus to be in that box...but that does not happen. I have a short educational game (for 1st graders) that requires them to listen to a short animation (with a sentence and word they are to spell) and then they type the word in a text box. I do not want them to have to click in the text box before typing. All slides (with the video) are in a question bank and I've:

• used all fill-in-the-blank questions
• used the fill-in-the-box question "Text Entry" (text box?) for students to enter their answer and  
• moved the "Text Entry" object to the bottom of the timeline for each slide
• I've also used a trigger to set the initial text ("Click and type the word here") in the "Text Entry" object. That is, the trigger reads: Set TextEntry1 equal to Click and type the word here When the timeline starts."

I wonder if the fill-in-the-blank "Text Entry" object is different from the "Text Box" object so that what I'm trying to accomplish is not possible. I also note that the "Text Entry" object does NOT allow students to use the Backspace key to correct errors.They must swipe over the letter(s) to replace and press Delete, which is really a hassle for 1st graders.

So I'm stumped. Suggestions?

If it helps to view the file, you can download the storyline file at https://www.box.com/s/9fr7dnl1fopfd4wztff8

Hi Jonathan,

My apologies for not following up on this thread, but what I discovered is that the text entry box needs to be at the absolute bottom of the timeline -- beneath your audio recording as well (think of audio as an object on the slide in addition to anything else you can see.)  When I did this, my issue was resolved.

I hope this helps.

Bob